Pneumatic life preserver belt



Nov. 23, 1943. E, Q CRAlG ET AL 2,334,696

PNEUMATIC LIFE PRESERVER BELT Filed July so, 1942 lNvl-:NToRs LLOYD A. STRAITS Patented Nov. 23, 1943 -PNUMATIC LIFE Pansaavnn l'sEL'r Edward o. vCraig andiloyd A. straits. p 4United States Navy A Application Juiygeo, 1.94.2, 'serial Na45as22 v Y mm. (Cie- 17) ioranted 'unaerthe act .ofMareha 1883,' .as

" @amended April 30," 3.10 70j., G.

This invention relates to a pneumatic life preserver belt 'andhas for an object to provide an improved llife preserver .of thev pneumatic` belt type. i

A principal object cf this invention'is to pro-.5

vide a pneumatic life preserver'belt which is carried around the waist of the wearer when in inactive pcsiton but' which. extends `upvto the ,chest Whenin `inflated .condition so as` to provide ilotation supportzsuiciently high -on the wearer -'r to insure the body beingy supported vuprightwith the head out of the water safe'against drowning.

A further objectof this invention is to provide a pneumatic belt which may be worn continuously as a safety measure in inactive condition and is located about the` waist of the wearer but which in an emergency can ybe'inilated within fifteen seconds and .will then occupy a position itwould be opened upjtovwhen it isV around the trunk of the wearer and is ready to be inflated.' `Fig, Sis a detailed There is shown4 atV l0. the pneumatic .life preserver belt of this invention. Thisbeltflis made of a. sheet of rubberized Vfabri'cfolded over and vulcanizedinto atubeas along'thesearrr IVI and,vulcanizedat itsendsi! and lf3 toforr'n a` closedpneumaticbelt. This belt yIll-'is provided with a fold line along the edge of the seam Il so that the lbelt may be doubled over on the position shown in Figs. land 5 tothereby occupy less area when secured about the waist of the up near the chest of the wearer so as to provide flotation support substantially above the center of gravity of the wearer. v

A further object of this invention is to provide a pneumatic belt which is easily adjustable so Yas to'iit persons of differentgirths.

A further object of this invention isto provide2 a securing means for the pneumatic' belt which securing'mean's may be adjusted to fit persons of different girths and which in its preferred form is capable of supporting the weight of the person so that the person Wearing the belt may be lifted from the water as by means of a boat hook through the securing means.

A still `further object of this invention is to provide a pneumatic life preserver belt which may be worn about the waist in inactive position ready for any emergency at all times Without substantial inconvenience to the wearer and which can be placed into active condition in a minimum time and at the same time is doubled in width so as to provide a greater amount of .support about the trunk ofthe wearer up as far as the chest.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction, combinationv and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustratedv in the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the preferred form of pneumatic life preserver -belt of this invention ready to be applied about the trunk of the wearer.

Figl 2 is a plan view of a similar life belt but with a slightly modiiied securing means showing the belt in the wide position, that is, the position wearer. Secured along the upper and lower edges of the belt il) are a plurality of pairs ofg` snap fasteners Ill and I5, thereby holding the belt in the folded `over'positionshown in Figs. 1 and 5. Aniniiating tube I 5 -is provided on. what is the inner side of the belt l!) in folded position and Y what becomes the upper outer side when the belt is about a wearer land ready to be inilated. This tube l is held in position by a tube clip I1 and terminates in an air valve It adapted to be inlated by being inserted ,in the mouth of the wearer. The other endof the tube I6 is secured to a belt inlet 2i! vulcanized through the belt lil and provided with a flapper valver2| securedto the perimeter of mouth 29 at four equally spaced points I9, thus permitting the air to pass only inwardly through this tube i6 as the belt is being inated.

In order to permit the belt to Vbe deilated again, y

as after use or after testing, a drain valve 22 of conventional construction is provided at one end of the tube IG. The securing means for holding the belt about the waist of the wearer shown in the preferred form in Fig. 1 consists merely of a canvas strap 23 provided at one end with a snap buckle 24 and the other end with a snap buckle means 25, adjustability'in size being provided by a conventional take-up buckle 26 through which the strap 23 extends. `In order to secure the strap 23 to the belt I0, the belt l0 is provided with a plurality of tubes 21 through which the strap 23 may be inserted, these tubes 21 consisting merely of rectangular patches which are cemented along two of their ends 28, thus providing tubes through which the strap may be placed. Instead of providing a long strap 23, a short strap 39 may be used as in Fig. 2, the short strap i vOFFlc-E" view ofthe ilat-valvefof the inflating tube: y

' AFig. 4 is a sectional view online 4+4 of Fig. 3. 'y

Fig. y5is a sectional View on line 5 5 of Fig ".3, vand Figriisra sectional View on -line 6,-6 of Fig.'2.

30 being provided with the same take-up buckle 26' adjustable in size and is provided at both ends withA a snap buckle 24'. In this case,` however,

A a snap buckle ring 25 is secured by a. patch 3| to a side of the belt ID and additional'snap buckle rings 25' now secured at and near the opposite end of the'beltll Il by means of .additional patches 3l In operation the belt is folded over to the posigunder the strap 23, for as above observed this strap 23 extends close about the trunk of the wearer with the life belt on the outer side thereof. Other modifications and changes in the number and arrangement of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the nature of the invention, within, the

scope of what is hereinafter claimed.

f y The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes Without the payment of any royalties If the pneumatic belt is somewhat large on the i particular individual it is obvious Vthat'one end 1;

of the folded belt ymay be telescoped within the Aotherend of the folded belt to provide a heater fit.

the folded over belt is grasped and vpulled up to separate the snap fasteners :I4 and l5, thereby bringing the inating tube to the outer side ofthe belt with the upper fold about the chest While the air valve I8 is-in a position closer to the lips -ready for blowingup the'belt. The belt may be inflated by aperson ofraveragesize in about fteen -seconds,;thereby providing all'the support necessary to. keep from drowning. Y

In the form shown in Fig. 1.a person may assisted from the water by placing a boathook When necessary Ato use thebelt in an emergency Y thereon or therefor.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what isl claimed is:

AA pneumatic life preserver belt comprising a pneumatic tube foldable along a longitudinal median line, securing means on said belt for holding said folded or unfolded belt about the trunk ofthe wearer and an inating tube on said belt.

-saidfinilating tube being located on the inner folded sideof said belt, a tube clip on theinner side of saidrbelt, said fold line being adapted to be placed upwardly when the belt is secured in position, said inating tube Yhaving its free end devrtachably supported insaid tube ,clip on the inner Side of the VVupper foldfwhereby the upper fold may be extended toward the chest of the wearer to bring the free endof said infiatingtube' nearer .to the mouth of the wearer, said inating tube being of sufficient length for its free end to reach the mouth of the wearer.

f EDWARD C. CRAIG. LLOYD A. STRAITS. 

